"Work, isolation, getting away from people" Read the full letter
| Letter Reference | Olive Schreiner BC16/Box3/Fold4/1905/32 |
| Archive | University of Cape Town, Manuscripts & Archives, Cape Town |
| Epistolary Type | Letter |
| Letter Date | 24 August 1905 |
| Address From | Hanover, Northern Cape |
| Address To | |
| Who To | Betty Molteno |
| Other Versions | |
| Permissions | Please read before using or citing this transcription |
| Legend |
The Project is grateful to Manuscripts and Archives, University of Cape Town, for kindly allowing us to transcribe this Olive Schreiner letter, which is part of its Manuscripts and Archives Collections. The name of the addressee of this letter is indicated by salutation and content.
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1
Hanover
2 Aug 24 / 05
3
4 My dear Friend
5
6 I like to think you & Miss Greene are now wandering away some where in
7Switzerland or my dear old Germany. I’ve just now got your letter. I
8can’t make out how you don’t hear from me, I write every week. I
9only missed the two weeks after Neta died.
10
11 It’s bitterly cold here now, snow clouds every where, but I am fit.
12I am just getting dinner ready. Cron returns from de Aar at 2
13o’clock & will be very much in need of food after the long cold
14drive. The actual cooking when you think someone you love is going to
15eat it is such a pleasure. What unreadable like is that
16
17 Yes, things go on all ?dead here. You can only come back to South
18Africa ^& be happy here^ if you will & can realize that the war is past.
19 That the sympathies & enthusiasms which made that time great are dead
20forever. That Englishmen & Dutch men every one has gone back to their
21old ruts. That a Boer dislikes you much more not belonging to the
22Dutch Reformed Church, than he
23
24^dislikes any member of that church who fought against him. All the
25larger impersonal interest have died out of the life here: if you can
26come to this country, content & expecting to live with our own
27personal friends & little interests then it is all right. If not,
28you’d better keep away! ^
29
30 Good bye dear one. Tell Alice I’m going to write her a long letter
31now I’ve so much to say a note wont satisfy me.
32 Olive
33
34
35
2 Aug 24 / 05
3
4 My dear Friend
5
6 I like to think you & Miss Greene are now wandering away some where in
7Switzerland or my dear old Germany. I’ve just now got your letter. I
8can’t make out how you don’t hear from me, I write every week. I
9only missed the two weeks after Neta died.
10
11 It’s bitterly cold here now, snow clouds every where, but I am fit.
12I am just getting dinner ready. Cron returns from de Aar at 2
13o’clock & will be very much in need of food after the long cold
14drive. The actual cooking when you think someone you love is going to
15eat it is such a pleasure. What unreadable like is that
16
17 Yes, things go on all ?dead here. You can only come back to South
18Africa ^& be happy here^ if you will & can realize that the war is past.
19 That the sympathies & enthusiasms which made that time great are dead
20forever. That Englishmen & Dutch men every one has gone back to their
21old ruts. That a Boer dislikes you much more not belonging to the
22Dutch Reformed Church, than he
23
24^dislikes any member of that church who fought against him. All the
25larger impersonal interest have died out of the life here: if you can
26come to this country, content & expecting to live with our own
27personal friends & little interests then it is all right. If not,
28you’d better keep away! ^
29
30 Good bye dear one. Tell Alice I’m going to write her a long letter
31now I’ve so much to say a note wont satisfy me.
32 Olive
33
34
35